What to Know

Saturday, Nov. 18

Starts in Little Tokyo, ends at the ocean in Santa Monica

Wear comfortable shoes, bring money for lunch

If we asked you to conjure an image of Beverly Boulevard in your mind, your first question might understandably be "which part, exactly"?

For there's the Beverly Boulevard that heads into downtown, the Beverly Boulevard that passes through a host of neighborhoods, from Koreatown to Hancock Park, and the Beverly Boulevard that meets up with Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills.

Iconic restaurants, from the very first Original Tommy's Hamburgers to El Coyote, dot the busy thoroughfare, as do a host of stand-out structures like CBS Television City and the Beverly Center.

Strolling by all of those, plus hundreds of other businesses, parks, intersections, shops, and interesting landmarks? Your chance is coming up during The Great Los Angeles Walk.

Now sauntering into its 12th year, the free-to-join walk, which takes on a (mostly) single street in Los Angeles, was founded by Mike Schneider of the blog Franklin Avenue.

Mr. Schneider wanted a lively way to head into Thanksgiving week, and a perfect way for LA-loving locals to meet, and a solid way to see the city on foot (a pastime that's not always pursued in our car-focused megalopolis).

The result? A day-long walk from downtown-ish to the ocean.

While past years have covered Wilshire and Pico Boulevards as well as other famous byways, it's ultra Beverly in 2017, as well as a few other streets. The outing will start on 1st Street, at the Japanese-American National Museum, and then it shall head west, joining up with Beverly and, later on, Santa Monica Boulevard, which will eventually lead to the ocean.

The length of the whole shebang? Around 17 miles, and there's important info to know on how to return to the starting point of the walk.

The number of attendees expected? Around 300, so count on meeting some other people who want to know more about our city, like you do. Or just walk in silence, if that's your thing; it can be a little social or not at all.

Do you need to RSVP? It's a fine idea, but if you choose to show on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 18, out of the blue, that's hunky dory, too. Here's info on letting the organizers know you'll be there.

If you've driven Beverly oodles of times, will you see something new on your walk? Nearly guaranteed. Footing it around LA, instead of riding or driving, has a way of revealing fresh sights, offbeat businesses, and eateries we just have to try.

Speaking of which: Bring some cash, as there will be a lunch stop along the way. As for other things you might want to bring along and what you might want to consider wearing? There are smart tips.

The Saturday before Thanksgiving is typically a crisp day, one where we're not subsumed by holiday must-dos quite yet. Putting in some exercise a few days before that extra serving of pie, while meeting people, while seeing the city, feels like a happening that's threaded through with the tenets of gratitude and goodwill.